The city of Varanasi has grown along the arc of Ganges with River Ganga as a focal
point in one direction and growth of the city taking place in semi-circular direction. The
city has a radial development pattern with areas like BHU, Manduadih, Sheopur and
Sarnath emerging as new growth centres in all directions. Over a period of time, with
the inclusion of a large number of villages and urban settlement, the city development
has resulted in irregularly shaped built up areas along peripheries of the central areas of
the city. The coming up of the Diesel Locomotive works and residential colonies over
an area of 250 ha in the Southwest and the Soda Ash factory along the GT road in the
East mark the development around the rural city fringe.